Sample imaging and image deblurring

ABSTRACT

There is provided an apparatus with a sample holder to hold a sample to be imaged. An image capture device has a field of view and captures an image of the field of view. Also provided is an actuator. A controller controls the actuator to cause relative movement between the sample holder and the image capture device at a given speed and at a given direction during an exposure time of the image capture device such that, in use, the sample moves across at least a portion of the field of view during the exposure time. A processor performs a deblur algorithm to deblur the image using the given speed and the given direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to GBApplication No. 1608423.8, which filed on May 13, 2016. Accordingly, GBApplication No. 1608423.8 is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD

The present technique relates to imaging. For example, the presenttechnique has relevance to the field of sample imaging and deblurring ofimages.

BACKGROUND

In, for example, digital microscopes, it is often desirable to capturean image of a sample. If there is relative movement between the imagecapture device and the sample (e.g. if the camera is moved relative tothe sample) during exposure, then it is likely that the source in thecaptured image will have a motion blur, which can make it difficult ifnot impossible to perform analysis. However, the process of moving thecamera, stopping movement of the camera, and then taking an image can betime consuming. This problem is exacerbated when multiple images must betaken; for example, if the camera must be moved multiple times tocapture images of multiple samples. It has previously been proposed toreduce motion blur by increasing the light sensitivity of the camera.However, increasing the light sensitivity increases the amount of visual“noise” in the image. Again, this can make it difficult to performanalysis on the resulting image. It is desirable to improve the speed atwhich such imaging processes can be performed while still making itpossible to perform analysis on the resulting images.

SUMMARY

Viewed from a first example configuration, there is provided anapparatus comprising: a sample holder to hold a sample to be imaged; animage capture device having a field of view, to capture an image of thefield of view; an actuator; a controller to control the actuator tocause relative movement between the sample holder and the image capturedevice at a given speed and at a given direction during an exposure timeof the image capture device such that, in use, the sample moves acrossat least a portion of the field of view during the exposure time; and aprocessor to perform a deblur algorithm to deblur the image using thegiven speed and the given direction.

Viewed from a second example configuration, there is provided an imageprocessing method comprising the steps: holding a sample to be imaged;capturing an image of a field of view; causing relative movement betweenthe sample and an image capture device at a given speed and a givendirection such that the sample moves across a portion of the field ofview; and performing a deblur algorithm to deblur the image using thegiven speed and the given direction, wherein an exposure time of theimage capture device when capturing the image corresponds with a timetaken for the sample to move across the portion of the field of view.

Viewed from a third example configuration, there is provided an imageprocessing apparatus comprising: means for holding a sample to beimaged; means for capturing an image of a field of view; means foractuating; means for controlling the means for actuating to causerelative movement between the means for holding the sample to be imagedand the means for capturing during an exposure time of the means forcapturing such that, in use, the sample moves across at least a portionof the field of view during the exposure time, wherein the relativemovement is at a given speed and a given direction; and means forperforming a deblur algorithm to deblur the image using the given speedand the given direction.

Viewed from a fourth example configuration, there is provided an imageprocessing method comprising: receiving an input image on whichdeblurring is to be performed, wherein the input image comprises aplurality of rows of pixels; receiving a given speed and givendirection; performing a deblurring operation on the image by performinga plurality of independent row processing operations using the givenspeed and the given direction, each corresponding to a given row of theplurality of rows, wherein at least some of the row processingoperations are performed in parallel.

Viewed from a fifth example configuration, there is provided anapparatus comprising: a sample holder to hold a sample to be imaged; animage capture device having a field of view, to capture an image of thefield of view as a plurality of rows of pixels; an actuator; acontroller to control the actuator to cause relative movement betweenthe sample holder and the image capture device at a given speed and at agiven direction during an exposure time of the image capture device suchthat, in use, the sample moves across at least a portion of the field ofview during the exposure time, wherein an axis of the rows of pixels isaligned with the given direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present technique will be described further, by way of example only,with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 2 shows an example of relative movement between the image capturedevice and sample in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a plurality of images produced as aconsequence of the relative movement in some embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates a relationship in overlap between consecutive imagesin the plurality of images in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 5 shows the effect of performing multiple iterations of a debluralgorithm on an image in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of image processing inaccordance with one embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method of image processing inaccordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before discussing the embodiments with reference to the accompanyingfigures, the following description of embodiments and associatedadvantages is provided.

In accordance with one example configuration there is provided anapparatus comprising: a sample holder to hold a sample to be imaged; animage capture device having a field of view, to capture an image of thefield of view; an actuator; a controller to control the actuator tocause relative movement between the sample holder and the image capturedevice at a given speed and at a given direction during an exposure timeof the image capture device such that, in use, the sample moves acrossat least a portion of the field of view during the exposure time; and aprocessor to perform a deblur algorithm to deblur the image using thegiven speed and the given direction.

By causing relative movement between the sample and the image capturedevice (i.e. by either moving the camera relative to the sample or thesample relative to the image capture device) while the image is beingexposed, a blurred image (e.g. of the sample) is intentionally created.However, since the relative movement occurs at a given direction and agiven speed, which is either known or can be determined, a debluralgorithm can be applied to undo much if not all of the blurring.Consequently, the camera can keep moving and so the imaging process canbe completed more quickly than if the camera must start and stop.

In some embodiments, the given speed of the relative movement betweenthe sample and the image capture device is substantially constant. Inthese embodiments, the speed of the relative movement may differ, forexample, by an extent caused by defects in the manufacturing process ofparts of the apparatus.

In some embodiments, the relative movement between the sample and theimage capture device occurs substantially only in the given direction.In these embodiments, the direction of the relative movement may differ,for example, by an extent caused by defects in the manufacturing processof parts of the apparatus.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises speed determiningcircuitry to determine the given speed. In such embodiments, the exactspeed at which the relative movement occurs could be initially unknown.However, by using the speed determining circuitry in these embodiments,it is possible to determine the speed at which the relative movementoccurs.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises directiondetermining circuitry to determine the given direction. In suchembodiments, the exact direction in which the relative movement occurscould be initially unknown. However, by using the direction determiningcircuitry in these embodiments, it is possible to determine thedirection at which the relative movement occurs.

In some embodiments, the image capture device is to capture a pluralityof images of a plurality of fields of view of the image capture device;and the actuator is further to cause relative movement between thesample and the image capture device between each of the plurality ofimages such that the image capture device obtains the plurality offields of view. In these embodiments, as a consequence of relativemovement between the sample and the image capture device betweensuccessive images, the field of view of the image capture device willchange. Accordingly, a plurality of fields of view will be imaged. Asthe number of images that are taken increase, a further improvement inprocessing time may be experienced by virtue of the camera beingrequired to start and stop less often.

In some embodiments, the sample holder holds a plurality of samples tobe imaged; and the plurality of images comprises at least one image ofeach of the plurality of samples. In such embodiments, the sample holdercould be a well plate, for example, with each well in the well plateholding a different sample to be imaged.

In some embodiments, two consecutive images in the plurality of imagesoverlap by an amount greater than a product of the exposure time of theimage capture device and the given speed. The exposure time of the imagecapture device multiplied by the given speed can be used to determine a“streak length”, e.g. the length of a streak caused by an object movingacross the portion of the field of view while exposure occurs. Since theoverlap is greater than the maximum streak length, there will be asingle image showing the streak in its entirety. Since no informationwill be “lost” as a consequence of the streak disappearing off the endof an image, the deblur algorithm can be applied to remove the blur inan effective manner. In other embodiments, the streak length is longerthan the overlap and so image data can be “lost”. Note that in someembodiments, all pairs of consecutive images overlap by an amountgreater than the product of the exposure time of the image capturedevice and the given speed. In those embodiments, there is at least oneimage of every streak in its entirety.

In some embodiments, two consecutive images in the plurality of imagesoverlap by an amount less than 120% of a product of the exposure time ofthe image capture device and the given speed. Generally it is desirableto have long streaks, since this provides more data with which toperform the deblur algorithm and so can result in more accuratedeblurred images. However, the overlap must be at least as large as themaximum streak length and if the overlap is too extensive then anefficiency of the apparatus is reduced since a large number of imageswill be unnecessarily produced. Consequently, the amount of deblurprocessing that occurs will be increased and so the time taken toproduce the deblurred images will be longer than if a smaller number ofimages are produced having less overlap.

In some embodiments, two consecutive images in the plurality of imagesoverlap by 50%. An overlap of 50% represents a good tradeoff between thedesire to create longer streaks for accurate deblur processing, the needto have an overlap at least as large as the streak length to avoidlosing information, and the desire to have an efficient processing timefor processing the deblur algorithm.

In some embodiments, the deblur algorithm is iterative. In other words,a block of instructions are executed repeatedly. For example, theiterative algorithm might be recursive such that the solution to one ormore sub-problems are used to solve the overall problem. In someembodiments, the output from one iteration is provided as an input tothe next or a future iteration.

In some embodiments, the image comprises a plurality of rows of pixels;an axis of the rows of pixels is aligned with the given direction; andthe deblur algorithm comprises a plurality of independent row processingoperations each corresponding to a given row of the plurality of rows ofpixels. Since the cause of the blurring is as a consequence of therelative movement between the sample and the image capture deviceoccurring in a given direction, and since the rows of pixels are alignedwith the given direction, blurring that occurs in respect of one row ofpixels is independent from the blurring that occurs in an adjacent rowof pixels. Consequently, the deblur algorithm can occur as a pluralityof row processing operations that occur independently, and eachcorrespond with one of the rows in the plurality of rows of pixels.

In some embodiments, at least some of the row processing operations areperformed in parallel. Given that the row processing operations areindependent, the row processing operation performed in respect of onerow does not affect the row processing operation in respect of anotherrow. The processing of the rows can therefore be parallelised in orderto complete processing of the image in a faster time.

In some embodiments, the deblur algorithm is iterative; and at eachiteration, an evaluation value for a row of pixels is determined; andbased on the evaluation value for the row of pixels in one iteration andthe evaluation value for the row of pixels in a next iteration, thedeblur algorithm is to disregard that row of pixels in subsequentiterations. The evaluation value for a row of pixels between twoiterations can be used to determine whether the row processing operationfor that row has completed or not.

For example, in some iterations, based on a difference between theevaluation value for the row of pixels in one iteration and theevaluation value for the row of pixels in the next iteration, the debluralgorithm is to ignore that row of pixels in subsequent iterations. Forexample, if the evaluation value difference between two consecutiveiterations changes by less than some threshold amount then it may bedetermined that additional iterations are unlikely to have furtherimprovements on the deblurring of the image. The evaluation value couldbe an array of values representing a score for each pixel in the row.The difference could then represent a maximum difference between twocorresponding pixels in two iterations of the deblur algorithm. In thisway, the algorithm would continue until there was no pixel that changedmore than some threshold value.

In some embodiments, the deblur algorithm is based on a Lucy-Richardsondeconvolution process.

In some embodiments, the image capture device performs fluorescenceimaging. Fluorescence imaging relates to a process in which a sample isilluminated with light of a particular wavelength. Once exposed, thesample then continues to fluoresce by emitting light of a secondwavelength for a short period. This emitted light can be detected.

In some embodiments, the image capture device is a grayscale imagecapture device. Performing deblurring can be performed more effectivelywhen a grayscale image is provided, since it may only be necessary toconsider the intensity of each pixel, rather than its colour value.

In some embodiments, the apparatus is a digital microscope.

Note that throughout this description, the term “row” is used to referto an array of pixels. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “row”includes “column”, which is also an array of pixels.

Particular embodiments will now be described with reference to thefigures.

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 100 in accordance with some embodiments. InFigure, the apparatus 100 is a digital microscope. The digitalmicroscope 100 includes a Charged Coupled Device (CCD) camera 110 (anexample of an image capture device), which photographs a sample held bya sample holder 120. The sample holder could be a well plate for holdinga plurality of samples, each one of which is to be imaged using the CCDcamera 110. An actuator 130 is able to move the sample holder 120,thereby providing relative movement between the CCD camera 110 and thesample holder 120. The relative movement is in a given direction andoccurs at a given speed. In the current embodiment, both the givendirection and the given speed are known and need not be detected. Inrespect of motion, for example, the system of the present embodiment isconstrained in terms of its motion. However, in other embodiments,further circuitry provides this information, possibly by detecting theactual achieved speed and direction while the relative movement occurs.Furthermore, in this embodiment, the given speed is substantiallyconstant and the given direction is substantially the only direction inwhich the relative movement occurs. Other movement can occur from thisas a consequence of manufacturing defects in, for example, the actuator.Of course, in other embodiments, the CCD camera 110 could be moved inorder to create the relative movement. A controller 140 is used to causethe relative movement to take place during an exposure time of the CCDcamera 110. In other words, while an image is being exposed (the shutterof the CCD camera 110 is open, causing a light sensor to be exposed toincoming light), relative movement by the actuator 130 occurs. Thiscauses the image captured by the CCD camera 110 to be blurred. Theimaging technique used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is fluorescenceimaging. A mercury lamp 150 and excitation filter 160 are used toproduce a light corresponding to a particular wavelength. This light isreflected by dichroic mirror 170 towards the sample held by the sampleholder 120. As a consequence of the illumination, the sample in thesample holder emits a light of a different wavelength. The dichroicmirror is designed to not reflect light of this wavelength, as opposedto light of the wavelength produced by the mercury lamp 150 andexcitation filter 160. The light therefore passes through dichroicmirror 170 and is instead reflected by mirror 180. The light passesthrough an emission filter before being received by the CCD camera 110.Since the given direction and given speed are known, these are providedto a processor 190 of the CCD camera, which then performs deblurring onthe received image. Suitable processes, such as Lucy-Richardsondeconvolution, will be known to the skilled person.

Note that in other embodiments, the processor 190 may be entirelyseparate from the rest of the apparatus. In such embodiments, blurredimages are produced by the CCD camera. The images could then bedeblurred at a later time or date. For example, the images could beoutsourced for the deblurring algorithm to be performed. It will also beappreciated that although this embodiment uses a CCD as an image capturedevice, other image capture technology (such as CMOS) can also be used.

FIG. 2 shows an example of relative movement between the image capturedevice and sample in accordance with some embodiments. In FIG. 2, it isassumed that the sample holder 120 moves at a constant speed relative tothe camera. This constant speed is maintained whether the camera isbeing exposed or not. Three different exposure times are shown, lastingfrom t1 to t2, t3 to t4, and t5 to t6. In this embodiment, each of theexposure times are substantially constant and are larger than thenon-exposure times. While at time t1 the centre of the camera is pointedat position p1, at time t2 the centre of the camera is pointed atposition p3, at time t3 the centre of the camera is pointed at positionp4, at time t4 the centre of the camera is pointed at position p7, attime t5 the centre of the camera is pointed at position p8, and at timet6 the centre of the camera is pointed at position p10. These positionsrepresent only the centre position of the camera. They do not representthe full field of view of the camera, which depends on the opticalconfiguration of the camera. In the example of FIG. 2, the field of viewcan be considered to be twice the distance between p1 and p0.Accordingly, the overall area swept by the three exposures is from p0 top5, p2 to p9, and p6 to p11 respectively. These areas are shown by thethree sets of arrows in FIG. 2. The arrows overlap by 50% in the case ofFIG. 2. Consequently, the images that are produced at the three exposuretimes will overlap by 50%.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a plurality of images 210, 220, 230 producedas a consequence of the relative movement in some embodiments. Theplurality of images 210, 220, 230 correspond with the three exposuretimes shown in FIG. 2 and the images 210, 220, 230 have been arranged toillustrate the overlap between the images. For example, an overlapbetween the first two images 210, 220 exists between point p2 and pointp5. Furthermore, an overlap between the second and third images 220, 230exists between point p6 and p9. In each of the plurality of images 210,220, 230 in FIG. 3, a streak 240 is shown. Note that in someembodiments, each sample in the sample holder will be imaged and sothere will be at least one image of each sample. It will be appreciatedby the skilled person that the streak is caused by the sample (which inthese embodiments is treated as a sphere of light), which blurs as aconsequence of the relative movement during exposure. The length of thestreak is the product of the exposure time of the image and the speed ofthe relative movement between the CCD camera and sample holder (measuredas the number of pixels in a row captured by the camera per second). Inthese embodiments, the overlap is arranged to be less than the maximumstreak length. Consequently, all of a streak will appear on a single oneof the images 210, 220, 230. Each of the images comprises a plurality ofrows of pixels 250 a, 250 b, partially illustrated in FIG. 3. The axisof the rows of pixels is aligned with the given direction, i.e. thedirection of relative movement. In this example, for instance, the rowsrun left to right and the direction of movement occurs from left toright. In another example, the rows and the relative movement might befrom top to bottom. Consequently, the blurring that occurs in each rowis independent.

It is worth noting that typically it is desirable to have a largeoverlap, since this enables a longer streak length. A longer streaklength means that more data is collected and this can therefore improvethe ability to perform deblurring. However, it is undesirable for thesame streak to appear (in its entirety) in multiple images, since thiswould cause a replication in work. In other words, the same streak wouldbe deblurred multiple times. In some embodiments, therefore, the overlapis limited to being less than 120% of the maximum streak length, sincethis produces a high overlap while reducing the probability thatnumerous images will include the same streak. In some embodiments, theoverlap is exactly equal to the maximum streak length at 50% of theimage. This allows for the maximum streak length to appear on a singleimage without the streak fully appearing on multiple images. In someembodiments, the range of permissible overlap is 45% to 50% to allow forunexpected deviations in streak length.

FIG. 4 illustrates a relationship in overlap between consecutive imagesin the plurality of images in accordance with some embodiments. In FIG.4, two different exposure times are shown. The first occurs from t1 tot2 and the second occurs from t3 to t4. Each exposure lasts for a periodof T seconds. In addition, a period of S seconds elapses between thefirst exposure time and the second exposure time. The field of view ofthe image capture device is defined as C. As shown in FIG. 4, due to therelative movement between the image capture device and the sample holderat speed V, an area is “swept” by the field of view. The effective fieldof view is therefore equal to C+TV. As shown in FIG. 4, an overlapbetween two consecutive images is shown as L. Using this information, itis possible to determine a relationship for S, the time betweenconsecutive exposures.

The overall area covered by two consecutive exposures is equal to theeffective field of view of two exposures minus the overlapped area, i.e.2(C+TV)−L. Similarly, however, this area is also equal to the area sweptby the field of view over the entire time period, i.e. C+V(2T+S).Accordingly:2(C+TV)−L=C+V(2T+S)  (Equation 1)C−VS=L  (Equation 2)

As previously noted, in order for the streak to fit on a single image,the maximum size must be less than the overlap. In other words:L≥TV  (Equation 3)

Inserting Equation 2 into Equation 1 gives:C−VS≥TV  (Equation 4)Therefore:S≤C/V−T  (Equation 5)

Consequently, it can be said that as the stationary field of view (C)increases, the time between successive images can increase. As therelative speed between the image capture device and the sample holderincreases, the time between successive images reduces. Additionally, asthe exposure time increases, the time between successive imagesincreases.

FIG. 5 shows the effect of performing multiple iterations of a debluralgorithm on an image in accordance with some embodiments. Havingobtained blurred images 210, 220, 230 as shown, for example in FIG. 3, adeblur algorithm is performed in order to obtain a deblurred image. Thedeblurred image should approximately correspond with the image thatwould be produced if the relative movement between the CCD camera andsample holder was stopped during exposure. In many embodiments, the CCDcamera is grayscale, movement occurs in a single direction at a knownspeed (and so the distance moved can be determined), and since the imagecomprises a small point of light in an otherwise dark image, and suchfactors improve the effectiveness of applying a deblur algorithm. Thesefactors make it possible to reasonably define a process that indicateshow to get from a source image to a blurred image. This process can thenbe reversed to convert the blurred image into a clean source image. Morespecifically, for every point on the source image it can be definedwhich points on the blurred image contain light from the source point,and in what proportions. Thus every point on the blurred image containsthe sum of all of the light from all of the source points thatcontributed to it. The deconvolution process is designed to take aninitial “guess” at what the original image looked like, and use theblurred image to improve the guess. This process is applied repeatedlyto the “guess”, continually making it better. Research behind theLucy-Richardson deconvolution indicates that the output is the mostlikely source image that produced the blurred image that we captured.Such a process also deals well with the sort of noise seen in CCD devicesensors. In FIG. 5, it can be seen that as the number of iterations ofthe algorithm increases from 0, to 1, to 2, to 5, to 10, to 20, to 50,to 100, the quality of the deblurred image improves with diminishingreturns. Indeed, in the example shown in FIG. 5, little improvementbetween 50 iterations and 100 iterations can be seen as compared between0 iterations and 50 iterations.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart 300 illustrating a method of image processing inaccordance with one embodiment. The flowchart corresponds with aprocessing operation that runs on a single row (a row processingoperation that is part of the overall deblur algorithm). Given that theaxis of the rows of pixels is aligned with the given direction, theblurring that occurs in one row is independent of the blurring thatoccurs in another row. Each row can therefore be processed independentlyof the others and so at least some of the rows can be processed inparallel to each other. The row processing operation can begin, forexample, at step 310 where deblurring is performed on the current row.The deblurring makes use of the fact that the given direction and givenspeed are known. At step 320, an evaluation process is performed on therow. The evaluation process is used to determine the extent of changethat is effected by the deblurring. For example, the evaluation processmight involve determining an intensity of each pixel in the row. At step330, it is determined whether the change in evaluations is below somethreshold. In some embodiments, this determination is made byconsidering the maximum difference in pixel intensity betweencorresponding pixels before and after the deblurring is performed. Ifthe change is less than some threshold value then the row processingoperation ends at step 340. Otherwise, the process repeats for that rowby returning to step 310. The overall operation is therefore looped inthat the deblurring continually occurs until such time as its overalleffect falls below the threshold value, the evaluation of the overalleffect being calculated by considering the maximum change in pixelintensity value for corresponding pixels.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart 400 illustrating a method of image processing inaccordance with one embodiment. The process can begin, for example, atstep 410 in which a sample is held by a sample holder 120. At step 420,image capture of the sample begins by an image capture device such as aCCD camera 110. During exposure of the image, at a step 430, relativemovement between the sample and the image capture device 110 occurs at agiven speed and in a given direction. This causes a streak 240 to occurin the corresponding image. At a step 440, a deblur algorithm is thenapplied in order to produce a deblurred image. The deblur algorithm cantake advantage of the fact that that the given speed and the givendirection are both known and so deblurring can occur effectively. Theprocess can be repeated for multiple images that are taken.Alternatively, steps 410-430 could be repeated for a plurality of imagesand step 440 could be performed at the end once the images have beenproduced.

In the present application, the words “configured to . . . ” are used tomean that an element of an apparatus has a configuration able to carryout the defined operation. In this context, a “configuration” means anarrangement or manner of interconnection of hardware or software. Forexample, the apparatus may have dedicated hardware which provides thedefined operation, or a processor or other processing device may beprogrammed to perform the function. “Configured to” does not imply thatthe apparatus element needs to be changed in any way in order to providethe defined operation.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been describedin detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited to those preciseembodiments, and that various changes, additions and modifications canbe effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from thescope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Forexample, various combinations of the features of the dependent claimscould be made with the features of the independent claims withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a sample holder to holda sample to be imaged; an image capture device having a field of view,to capture an image of the field of view, wherein the image capturedevice is configured to capture a plurality of images; an actuator,wherein the actuator is further configured to cause relative movementbetween the sample and the image capture device, and wherein therelative movement causes the plurality of images to become a pluralityof blurred images; a controller to control the actuator to causerelative movement between the sample holder and the image capture deviceat a given speed and at a given direction during an exposure time of theimage capture device such that, in use, the sample moves across at leasta portion of the field of view during the exposure time, wherein thegiven speed of the relative movement between the sample and the imagecapture device is substantially constant, wherein the relative movementbetween the sample and the image capture device occurs substantiallyonly in the given direction; and a processor to perform a debluralgorithm to deblur the image using the given speed and the givendirection, wherein the deblur algorithm comprises a deconvolutionalprocess that takes an initial guess at an original image for theplurality of blurred images and use the plurality of blurred images toimprove the initial guess to form a deblurred image.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising: speed determining circuitry todetermine the given speed.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein: the sample holder holds a plurality of samples to be imaged;and the plurality of images comprises at least one image of each of theplurality of samples.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thedeblur algorithm is iterative.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the deblur algorithm is based on a Lucy-Richardson deconvolutionprocess.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imagecapture device performs fluorescence imaging.
 7. The apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the image capture device is a grayscale imagecapture device.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theapparatus is a digital microscope.
 9. An image processing method,comprising: holding a sample to be imaged; causing relative movementbetween the sample and an image capture device at a given speed and agiven direction such that the sample moves across a portion of the fieldof view; capturing an image of the sample during the relative movement,wherein capturing during the relative motion forms a blurred image ofthe sample; and performing a deblur algorithm to deblur the image usingthe given speed and the given direction, wherein an exposure time of theimage capture device when capturing the image corresponds with a timetaken for the sample to move across the portion of the field of view,and the deblur algorithm comprises a deconvolutional process that takesan initial guess at an original image for the blurred image and use theblurred image to improve the initial guess to form a deblurred image.10. An image processing apparatus, comprising: means for holding asample to be imaged; means for capturing an image of a field of view,wherein the means for capturing is configured to capture a plurality ofimages; means for actuating, wherein the means for actuating is furtherconfigured to cause relative movement between the sample and the meansfor capturing, and wherein the relative movement causes the plurality ofimages to become a plurality of blurred image; means for controlling themeans for actuating to cause relative movement at a given speed in agiven direction between the means for holding the sample to be imagedand the means for capturing during an exposure time of the means forcapturing such that, in use, the sample moves across at least a portionof the field of view during the exposure time, wherein the given speedof the relative movement between the sample and the image capture deviceis substantially constant, wherein the relative movement between thesample and the image capture device occurs substantially only in thegiven direction; and means for performing a deblur algorithm to deblurthe image using the given speed and the given direction, wherein thedeblur algorithm comprises a deconvolutional process that takes aninitial guess at an original image for the plurality of blurred imagesand use the plurality of blurred images to improve the initial guess toform a deblurred image.